Ejective pressurized cork



G. J. FEDERlGHl.

EJECTIVE PRESSURIZED CORK June 2, 1964 Filed Jan 20 1964 9 jd 2.5 ATTQRNEY United States Patent O Filed Jan. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 338,654 9Claims. (Cl. 215-55) The present invention relates to improvements in anejective pressurized cork. It consists of the combinations,constructions and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described andclaimed.

As the cardinal object of my invention, it isproposed to provide a corkhaving a compartment containing a pressurized propellant which may bereleased to the interior of a corked bottle so as to eject the cork.Thus the cork is self-ejecting when a person actuates the releasingmeans that normally contines the pressurized propellant in the cork.

Moreover, it is proposed to utilize the pressurized propellant forexpanding the cork into uid-tight relation with the wall of a pouringopening in the bottle into which the cork has 'been inserted.

Another object of the invention is`to provide an ejective pressurizedcork having means for releasingl the pressurized propellant from thecompartment to the interior of the bottle below the cork, this meansbeing arranged for easymanipulation from the top of the cork while thelatter is disposed in the pouring opening of the corked bottle. i l

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specication continues,and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

Drawing For a better understanding( of the invention, reference shouldbe had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification,in which:

FIGURE l is a vertical sectional view taken through a corked bottle anddisclosing my ejective pressurized cork inserted into the pouringopening of the bottle;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of a needle valve shown in FIGURE 1',

p FIGURE 3 isa view similar to FIGURE 1, but illustrating the needlevalve depressed so asto release the pressurized propellant from thecompartment of the cork; and

f FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view through a moditied` form of myejective pressurized cork.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, it shouldbe understood that various changes, or modications, may be made Withinthe scope of the appended claims without departing from the spiritthereof.

Detailed description Referring now to the lirst form of my invention, asdisclosed in FIGURES l to 3, inclusive, I have shown a yconventionalbottle A having a pouring opening formed in its neck 11, this bottlecontaining liquid 12, such as wine for example. It will be noted that myejective pressurized cork is designated generally at B and has beenillustrated as being dimensioned to be inserted into the pouring opening10 to form a closure for the bottle.

This cork has a compartment C fashioned therein that contains a suitablenon-toxic pressurized propellant, for example Genetron manufactured byAllied Chemical (General Chemical Division), or Freon madeY by du Pont.These are only two examplesof propellants that are available on themarket and suitable for my purpose.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawing, the pressurized propellanttakes the form of a liquid prod- 3,135,410 Patented June `2, 1964 riceuct 14 that produces a gas 15 in the headspace of the compartment C.This gas has sufficient pressure to uncork the bottle, when thepressurized propellant is conveyed to the interior of the bottle A belowthe cork B.

Moreover, the cork B denes an expandable circumferentially-extendingwall 16 which is subjected to the pressurized propellant contained inthe compartment C, andthe pressure is sufficient tor expand this wallinto fluidtight relation with the surrounding wall of the pouringopening 10. The cork B may be made from suitable plastic material thatmay be expanded and contracted. One or more annular sealing beads 17 maybe formed on the exterior surface of the wall 16 so as to eifect abetter seal with the pouring opening of the bottle.

In order to convey the pressurized propellant from the compartment C tothe interior of the bottle A below the cork B to eject the later, apassageway 18 has been provided that leads from the compartment to thelower end of the cork for outow of the propellant, the lower end ofthecork being indicated at 19. However, this passageway is normally sealedby a membrane 2t), and valve meansD is operable for releasing thepressurized propellant by puncturing the membrane, as indicated in FIG-URE 3 of the drawing.

The passageway 18 is provided by a dip tube 21 that extends upwardlyfrom the bottom of the cork B to a position adjacent to the top of thecompartment C, and the membrane '2G is located in this tube. As shown inFIGURES 1 and 3, the membrane 20 is disposed at the top of the dip tube,while in FIGURE 4 the membrane 2li is disposed at the bottom of the diptube. In either event,the membrane will prevent outflow of the,propellant from the compartment C through the passageway 18 `and intothe interior of the bottle A below the cork B until the membrane hasbeen punctured.

As shown in FIGURES l to 3, inclusive, thelvalve meansD defines a needlevalve 22 having apointed lower end 23 arranged to puncture the membrane20, when an operating knob 24 at the top of this valve is depressed. Aby-pass 25 is formed in the lower section of the needle valve 22 andthrough whichfthe pressurized propellant may ow from the compartment Cto the passageway 18, when the knob 24 is depressed into the positiondisclosed in FIGURE 3, it being noted that at this time the by-passextends above and below the membrane 20. However, when the needleV valveoccupies the position shown in FIGURE l, the by-pass will not permit thepressurized propellant to flow from the compartment C to the passagewayi8, this being the position in which the needle valve is arranged whenthe bottle is initially corked.

Particular attention is called to Vthe fact that the top of the cork Bis provided with adepression V26 therein, and the operating knob 24 isconfined in this depression so as to preclude accidental opening of thevalve means D in the event that an object bears against the top of thecork B during storage, transportation or other positioningof the corkedbottle.

The valve means D is disposed axially relative to the cork B so that theoperating knob 24 mayV be readily depressed by Va person, and the needlevalve Z2 and the dip tube 21 are likewise arranged axially with respectto the cork.

The objective pressurized cork B shown in FIGURE 4 is substantially thesame as that illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, except that the membrane 20is disposed at the bottom of the passageway 18, as previously mentioned.Like reference characters have been applied to corresponding parts ofthe two forms of the invention.V In FIGURE 4, the needle valve 22 islonger than in FIG- URE l so that its lower pointed end 23 may puncturethe membrane 20 at the bottom of the dip tube 21 in FIGURE 4. Otherwise,the two forms of the invention are the same.

Of course, the needle valves 22 and 22 must be sealed against leakage ofthe pressurized propellant at the places where they pass through the toppart of the cork into the depression 26. Gaskets vor `O-rings 27 areshown for this purpose. As shown in FIGURE 1, the lower end 23 of theneedle valve'22 isclosely confined ina cavity Yformed in the membrane20, when'the cork is initially assembled, so as to prevent thepressurizedpropellant from blowing the needle valve out of the cork,since the force of the propellant is precluded from gaining access tothe lower end of the needle valve to raise the latter. Moreover, thewall of the cavity in the membrane Z serves to steady the needle valve22 during downward pressing thereof when `uncorking the bottle. Thissame arrangement is provided for the needle valve 22 andthe membraneZtl` in FIGURE 4.

-In order' to facilitate the insertion of the cork B into the pouringopening 1) of the bottle A, the -cork and its pressurized propellant maybe chilled prior to inserting the cork into the bottle. Subsequently,when the cork and propellant expand due to reaching room temperature,the cork will have a fluid-tight contact with the interior wall of thebottle neck.

It will be appreciated 'from the disclosure that each cork and itsuncorking means is self-contained, and no cork-screw or other tool isrequired to uncork the bottle.

' l. An ejective pressurized cork comprising:

(a) a cork dimensioned to be inserted into a pouring opening in a bottleto form a closure for the latter; (b) the cork having a compartmentcontaining a pressurized propellant;

(c) and means operable for releasing the .pressurized propellant fromthe compartment and conveying it Y to the interior of the bottle belowthe cork, and the pressure being suicient to uncork the bottle.v 2. Theejective pressurized cork, as set forth in claim 1;` (d) and in whichthe cork defines an expandable circumferentially-extending wall which issubjected .tothe pressurized propellant contained in the comr partment,and the pressure being suicient to expand this wall into uid-tightrelation with the wall of the pouring opening.

3. The ejective pressurized cork, as set forth in claim l;

(d) and in which the means operable for releasing the pressurizedpropellant from the compartment.

includes depressible valve means operable from the top of the cork. 4.The ejective pressurized cork, as set forth in claim 3; (e) and in whichthe top of the cork is provided with a depression therein, and the valvemeans includes an operating knob confined in this depression so as topreclude accidental opening of the valve means in the event that anobjectbears against the top of the cork. Y l 5. An ejective pressurizedcork comprising: Y (a) a cork dimensioned to be inserted into a pouringopening in a bottle to form a closure for the latter; (b) the corkhaving a compartment containing a pressurized propellant, the pressurebeing sutiicient to eject the cork from the bottle when the propellantis injected into the interior of the bottle below the cork;

(c) the cork having a passageway leading from the compartment to thelower end of the cork for outflow of the propellant, but this passagewaynormally being sealed by a membrane;

-Y (d) and a needle Valve operable from the top of the cork, and havinga lower end positioned to puncture the membrane when this needle valveis depressed, whereby the cork will be ejected from the bottle.

6. The ejective pressurized cork, as set forth in claim 5;

(e) and in Vwhich the'passageway is provided by a dip tube extendingupwardly from the bottom of the cork toa position adjacentf-to the topof the cornpaltment, and the membrane being located in this tu e.

7. The ejective pressurized cork, as set forth in claim 5;

(e) and in which the needle valve is disposed axially relative to thecork and has its upperend confined in a depression provided in the topof the cork.

8. An ejective pressurized cork comprising:

(a) a cork dimensioned to be inserted into a pouring opening in a bottleto form a closure for the latter;

(b) the cork having a compartmentcontaining a pressurized propellant,the pressure being sufficient to eject the cork from thebottle when thepropellant is injelted into the interior of the bottle below the cor (c)the cork having a passageway leading from the compartment to the lowerend of the cork for outflow of the'propellant,.but this passagewaynormally being sealed by a membrane;

{(a') this passageway being provided by a dip tube extending upwardlyfrom the bottom of the cork to a position adjacent to the top of thecompartment, and the membrane being located in this tube;

(e) and means operable to puncture the membrane so that the pressurizedpropellant will be conveyed through the dip tube to the interior of thebottle below the cork to eject the latter.

9. An ejective pressurized cork comprising:

(a) a cork dimensioned to .be inserted into a pouring n opening in abottle to form a closure for the latter;

(b) the cork'having a compartmentcontaining a pressurized propellant,thepressure being sufficient to eject the cork from the bottle when thepropellant is injected into the interior of the bottle below the cork;

(c) the cork yhaving'a passageway leading from the compartment to thelower end ofthel cork for outow of the propellant, but thisA passagewaynormally being sealed by a membrane;

(d) and a needle valve operable from the top of the cork, and having alower end positioned to puncture the membrane when this needle valve isdepressed, whereby the cork will be ejected from the bottle;

(e) the lower end of the needle valve being closely confined' in acavity formed in the membrane, when the cork is initially assembled, soas to prevent the pressurized propellant from blowing the needle valveout of the cork, since the force of the propellant t is precluded fromgaining access to the lower end` L of the needle valve to raise thelatter;

y(f) the wall of the cavity in the membrane serving to steady the needlevalve during downward pressing thereof when uncorking the bottle.

No references cited.

1. AN EJECTIVE PRESSURIZED CORK COMPRISING: (A) A CORK DIMENSIONED TO BEINSERTED INTO A POURING OPENING IN A BOTTLE TO FORM A CLOSURE FOR THELATTER; (B) THE CORK HAVING A COMPARTMENT CONTAINING A PRESSURIZEDPROPELLANT; (C) AND MEANS OPERABLE FOR RELEASING THE PRESSURIZEDPROPELLANT FROM THE COMPARTMENT AND CONVEYING IT TO THE INTERIOR OF THEBOTTLE BELOW THE CORK, AND THE PRESSURE BEING SUFFICIENT TO UNCORK THEBOTTLE